Exam Review Lab 04 —Final exam simulation
Full dress-rehearsal — Reading & UoE · Listening · Writing · Speaking, exam-day timing. Revision only · recycles Modules 09–10 — no new language.
PET parts in this lesson · mixed-skill spiral
Why this lesson now? Final checkpoint before the Exit Test — every PET part recycled one more time.
CEFR Pathway · You are here
Exam Boost · Performance Session
A progress checkpoint, not a test.
Recycle this phase's language through challenges, mini-tasks and longer speaking turns. Aim for fluency, not perfection — replay anything, skip nothing.
Get ready · 01
5 minGet talking — no pressure
Which paper feels least predictable on exam day for you — Reading, Listening, Writing or Speaking? Why?
Practise your 60-second calming routine: three slow breaths, one honest thought, one small physical action.
Describe in 2 sentences what a Pass on this exam actually changes for you.
Grammar recap · 02
8–10 minEverything, on one page
Present · Past · Perfect · Modal · Passive · Conditional · Linker. One clean example of each is worth more than showing off.
By this point, students don't need new grammar — they need a fast internal checklist so they can spot which form the item wants. This lab treats grammar as pattern-recognition, not new teaching.
→ I usually walk to work. (present simple — routine)
→ I'm staying with my cousin. (present continuous — now)
→ We went there last summer. (past simple — finished)
→ I've lived here for two years. (present perfect — link to now)
→ You should book early. (modal — advice)
→ The tickets were sold in an hour. (passive — focus on tickets)
→ If I had more time, I'd learn Italian. (2nd conditional — imagined)
Challenge 1.She ___ that book for a week now.
Challenge 2.The email ___ yesterday afternoon.
Challenge 3.If I ___ you, I'd apply today.
Challenge 4.You ___ arrive late — the exam won't wait.
Challenge 5.By 2020, she ___ in three countries.
Build the sentence → spot the natural chunks → say it aloud → reply like a real conversation.
1.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
2.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
3.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
Quick check 1.Which is best for Speaking 4?
Quick check 2.In Writing Part 1, if you cover only 3 of the 4 notes, what happens to your Content mark?
Vocabulary recap · 03
5–7 minRecycle your toolkit
to suggest without saying directly
What does 'I'm not really hungry' imply at a dinner party?
worried or nervous about something that might happen
Do exams make you anxious? Why or why not?
to rule out an answer you're sure is wrong
What's the first option you'd eliminate in a tricky question?
to write the missing word or number in a form
What do you do if you can't fill in a gap the first time you hear it?
Tap an item on the left, then tap its match on the right.
Activation · Personalise · Recycle
Reactivate Modules 9–10 language out loud — nothing new here, just faster recall.
Ask your partner
- What does 'I'm not really hungry' imply at a dinner party?
- When do you flag an item in an exam?
- Do exams make you anxious? Why or why not?
"What's the first option you'd eliminate in a tricky question?"to eliminate (an option)
Which of these Modules 9–10 phrases do you still forget under exam pressure? Why?
Write 25–35 words about your English progress using BOTH recycled phrases.
Pronunciation polish · 04
3–4 minCalm rhythm under pressure
Slower is louder. On exam day, speaking 20% slower reads as confidence.
- • On balance, / I'd say / it's worth it.
- • To be honest, / in the long run, / small habits win.
- • In the end, / it wasn't as hard / as I'd expected.
- • Personally, / I'd start / with the easier parts / first.
Reading challenge · 05
8–10 minPET Reading Part 3 — The exam is not the goal
When students finally pass an English exam, most of them feel two things at the same time: proud, and slightly deflated. The proud part is obvious. The deflated part is stranger — and it says something important about what the exam actually was.
For months, the exam becomes the goal. Every study session, every self-doubt, every small win is measured against it. And then it's over in one morning. If nothing has changed on the day AFTER results, the whole thing can feel like it was about the paper, not about you.
The way past this, in the end, is to notice what the exam gave you that isn't a certificate. It gave you a study habit. It gave you the confidence to speak when you didn't feel ready. It gave you feedback loops from a teacher who saw you every week. On balance, those are worth more than the letter grade.
The certificate opens doors — universities, jobs, visas — and that's real. But the person who walks through those doors is the one built by the eight months of preparation, not the one who got 148 out of 170. Keep the habits. The paper is the ticket; the habits are the journey.
Challenge 1.Why do students often feel deflated after passing?
Challenge 2.What does the writer say the exam actually gives you?
Challenge 3.'The paper is the ticket; the habits are the journey' suggests…
Challenge 4.What is the writer's overall attitude to the exam?
Challenge 5.Who does the writer say built the person walking through the new doors?
Q1.The writer thinks students should stop studying after they pass.
Q2.According to the writer, the certificate has some real-world value.
Q3.The writer says the grade is the most important thing to remember.
1.What must candidates do?
2.What is the tutor's main advice?
EXAM ROOM 3
Silent from 09:00. Phones must be OFF (not silent) and inside the plastic bag provided. Water bottles only — no snacks.
3.What does the notice tell candidates?
Exam nerves? Free hot water and 10% off pastries for anyone with a candidate number. Just show us today.
4.What is the café offering?
AFTER THE EXAM
Results published online in 4–6 weeks. Certificates posted after 8 weeks. Do NOT phone the office — they cannot give results by phone.
5.How will candidates first find out their result?
Listening challenge · 06
8–10 minPET Listening Part 2 — Two friends the night before their exam
Listening audio
Tap play to listen. Replay as many times as you need.
Show transcript
Alex:Are you still awake? I'm supposed to be sleeping and I've been staring at the ceiling for an hour.
Nur:Same. My brain keeps replaying that Reading 6 practice we did last week — the one with all the pronouns.
Alex:Honestly, if I open the book one more time tonight I'll forget everything I actually know. On balance, I'd rather just sleep and trust it.
Nur:Yeah. My tutor said the same thing — 'the extra hour of grammar is worth less than the extra hour of sleep.' In the end I think that's true.
Alex:What about the Speaking? That's the bit that terrifies me.
Nur:To be honest, I feel better about that one. If I go slow and use one linker per turn, I'll be fine. The examiner isn't a monster.
Alex:Right. Okay. Sleep. Talk after.
Challenge 1.What are Alex and Nur mainly doing?
Challenge 2.What has Nur's tutor said?
Challenge 3.How does Nur feel about the Speaking paper?
Skills challenge · 07
5 minExam-day pacing across all four papers
One clock, four papers. Never let one paper eat another paper's time.
Task
The single biggest score-loss on real exam day isn't wrong answers — it's unfinished ones. Learners spend 12 minutes on one Reading Part 4 gap they'll never crack, and then rush every other section. The fix is a hard-committed timing budget.
Example
Reading Part 4 gap [[3]] — 90 seconds in and you're stuck. Guess the option that fits the tense, mark it, and MOVE ON. If you have 60 seconds at the end, come back.
Writing challenge · 08
5 minShow what you can do
Q1.Type ONE word (PET R-P6): 'She's been learning Chinese ___ 2019.'
Q2.Type ONE word: 'The results will be published ___ four weeks.'
Q3.Type ONE word: 'This certificate is recognised ___ over 20,000 organisations.'
Q4.Type ONE word: 'On ___ whole, I'm ready.'
PET Writing Part 2 (article, ≈100 words). Prompt: 'What have you actually learned from preparing for this exam?' Use ONE present perfect, ONE softener, ONE example linker.
Your writing draft
0 words SavedShow model answer & examiner comment
I've been preparing for PET for about eight months now, and the biggest thing I've learned isn't grammar. On balance, it's the habit of showing up. I've done small daily reviews even when I didn't feel like it, and, to be honest, that's the part that has actually made a difference. For example, five minutes of Speaking practice every morning has done more for me than any long Sunday session. Having said that, the exam still makes me nervous. In the end, though, I think the habits will last much longer than the certificate.
Examiner comment
| 5 | All content points covered; consistent style; range of structures; minor errors only. |
| 3 | Content mostly covered; mostly suitable style; some range; errors don't stop the reader understanding. |
| 1 | Limited content; intrusive errors; very basic structures; under-length. |
Hi! I heard you're sitting PET on Saturday — good luck! I want to hear all about it. Tell me: how are you feeling right now, what are you doing today to prepare, which part are you most worried about, and what will you do to celebrate afterwards? Rooting for you! Robin
Your reply must cover:
- Describe current feelings honestly
- Give ONE specific thing you're doing today (not 'studying')
- Name the part that worries you and WHY
- Give a specific celebration plan
Show model answer
Hi Robin, thanks for the message — honestly, on balance I feel calmer than I expected. Today I'm doing very little on purpose: one 30-minute Speaking warm-up with a classmate, then an early night. The Speaking paper worries me most because I always talk too fast when I'm nervous, so I'm practising slowing down. To celebrate, we've booked a Sunday brunch at that new café near the park — the exam finishes at 12, so I've earned it! Thanks again for cheering me on — I'll message you as soon as I'm out. Talk soon, Sam
Communication lab · 09
10–15 minTalk it out
PET Speaking Part 4 — In pairs, 4 minutes total. Question: 'Do language exams show what you can really do?' Use PEEL and at least THREE recycled phrases (on balance, in the long run, to be honest, in the end, worth it).
- ExaminerDo you think language exams show what a person can really do?
- Candidate_______________
- ExaminerAnd has preparing for the exam changed how you study English?
- Candidate_______________
Phase 1 — short factual questions
1.Examiner: "What's your name and where are you from?"
2.Examiner: "Do you work or study?"
Tip: Say what + ONE feeling or reason.
3.Examiner: "What did you do last weekend?"
Tip: Past simple + linker.
4.Examiner: "Do you enjoy studying English?"
Tip: Yes/no + ONE reason.
Phase 2 — extended question (aim for 3–5 sentences)
Examiner: "Tell me about something you've achieved that you're proud of."
Tip: 25–35 seconds. What, when, why it matters, one specific detail.
Show model extended answer
The thing I'm most proud of is finishing a half-marathon last spring — mainly because a year earlier I couldn't run for 10 minutes without stopping. On balance, the training was harder than the race itself; there were plenty of cold mornings when I nearly quit. For example, one Sunday in February I ran in the rain for 90 minutes and honestly thought about turning back after 5. In the end, crossing the finish line was one of the best moments of my year.
Candidate A — Giving a presentation
Need help? Show prompts (try describing with no help first)
- • What can you see?
- • Where are they?
- • How is the speaker feeling?
- • What might they be presenting?
- • Would you enjoy speaking in front of a group?
Candidate B — Finishing a race
Need help? Show prompts (try describing with no help first)
- • What can you see?
- • What event is it?
- • How is the runner feeling?
- • How did the crowd get there?
- • Have you ever finished something you didn't think you could?
Useful phrases
- • In the foreground I can see…
- • In the background…
- • It looks as if…
- • On the whole they seem…
- • Personally I'd say…
Show model 1-minute description
In the foreground of the photo I can see two women sitting at a small table, both with coffee. In the background there's a busy café counter and someone taking an order. It looks as if they've met after a while — they're leaning in and laughing. On the whole they seem really relaxed. Personally, I'd say they're old friends catching up, probably on a Saturday morning.
Optional · Teacher-led
Teacher Activities
Run this lab as a strict mini-mock. Time every block; feedback comes AFTER, not during. Keep the emotional temperature calm — this rehearsal is for confidence, not correction. ~45 min total
Keep it going · 10
Take-homeExtend it at home
Self-study — everything you need is included below. All four skills are covered so you keep the spiral going between lessons; pick the order that suits you.
Full Reading & UoE mock — 45 minutes, timed. Note the ONE part you'd redo first.
Your response
0 words SavedMaterials included
How to build it
Score card
Attempt the task first, then check your answers.
PET Writing Part 1 mock — reply to Robin's email below, from REAL feelings (not a template). 100 words.
Your response
0 words SavedMaterials included
Stimulus email
4 notes
Attempt the task first, then check your answers.
Speaking double-mock — record BOTH a 30s Part 1 answer AND a 60s Part 2 description. Play back at 80% speed to check.
Your response
0 words SavedMaterials included
Part 1 prompt (30s)
Part 2 prompt (60s)
Attempt the task first, then check your answers.
Listening recycling — read the Alex/Nur 'night before' dialogue aloud twice. Note every recycled phrase you hear.
Your response
0 words SavedMaterials included
Dialogue
Recycled bank (tick as you hear)
Attempt the task first, then check your answers.
Wrap-up · 11
2–3 minWhat you can now do
- One clock, four papers — don't let one part eat another's time.
- Reading & UoE: 6–7 min per part; guess and move on if stuck.
- Writing 1: ALL FOUR notes + ~100 words + 2 linkers.
- Listening: the SECOND play is for corrections, not first answers.
- Speaking: extend ONE sentence past the obvious answer, then stop.
- The paper is the ticket; the habits are the journey.